Composition Experiment

The goal

To practice my photography skills, I experimented with different types of composition. Here are five pictures I quickly snapped of some objects around my room, with the purpose of focusing on the composition and the placement of each element within the frame.

The photos & the thought behind them

The first photo I took is a portion of my bookshelf. It uses symmetry, achieved through the placement of the books on the shelf. On the left side of the image we've got a stack of books and some books placed vertically next to it, framed by the shelf; on the right we've got another stack of books and vertical books next to each other, also framed by the shelf. The way the books are arranged, along with the frame of the shelf, creates an effect of symmetry.

symmetry and framing

In the second photo we can see some soda cans stacked on top of each other. Their identical aspect and the way they are arranged creates a pattern, with repetition in the design, colour and shape of each can.

repetition and pattern

The third photo contains only one subject, a Lego spider, centered within the frame. The spider is in focus, while the background isn't. This, and the empty background, draws attention to the spider and makes it the subject of the photo.

single subject/portrait

For the fourth photo I took, I focused on framing. The window creates a frame around the clouded sky and the tree leaves visible outside the window. I tried to position the window within the frame so that the space between the edges of the window and the edge of the photo's frame is equal on all sides.

framing

And lastly, for my fifth photo, I focused on leading lines. The edge of the ceiling and the edge of the desk create two converging lines pointing towards the computer, which helps draw the eye towards it. (do ignore the mess on my desk:D )

leading lines

After thoughts

This was a fun experiment to do, it helped me see the objects around me from a new perspective and helped me pay more attention to the composition of the photos I take. I'm sure that this will come in handy in future projects!